Device for proportioning liquid



y 1949- J. s. MALTESE 2,469,305

' DEVICE FOR PROPORTIONING LIQUID MIXTURES Filed May 18, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 20 1 1 1 2/ WW 7 J) g I T /7 a 2' 3 J1 '7 34 I l I 5 I i 7 J /0. 1 W 1" UN x\\ INVENTOR.

' Joseph 5. Mar/fess y 1949- J. s. MALTESE 2,469,305

DEVICE FOR PROPORTIONING LIQUID MIXTURES Filed May 18, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 M I114 5 40 T 4/ 46 5/ 1E /2 45 93 LN; L, 3

V V/X A V 3/ I 7/ INVEN TOR. dos'ep/I 5. lfa/zase Patented May 3, 1949 DEVICE FOR PROPORTIONING LIQUID MIXTURE S Joseph S. Maltese, Hempstead, N. Y., assignor to Rinshed-Mason Company, Detroit, M1ch., a

corporation of Michigan Application May 18, 1945, Serial No. 594,547

6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to an apparatus for mixing coating materials, such as various paints or lacquers or the like. In the interest of brevity, the term paint will be used in a broad sense to cover any coating whether it be considered lacquer, paint, varnish, shellac or, for that matter, an oil preparation.

More specifically, the invention is directed to the provision of a machine for use in obtainin a mix comprised of known or specified quantities of various liquids such, for example, as colors. There are. so many difierent colors or shades of paint which, for example, are used on automobiles, that it is. not feasible for many paint shops to carry a full line of all colors. The paint shops referred to are shops which do repainting or repair work. The investment required to maintain a reasonably large stock is too large for many shops and even when an attempt is made to carry a substantially full line of colors and shades, various colors. or shades may, from time to time, be exhausted.

In accordance with the present invention, an improved machine is provided for mixing colors or shades from a, few base colors. No attempt is made herein. to itemize the base colors, it being sufiicient to say that a paint shop, for example, may have a suitable or required number of base colors in stock, from which, by the use of instructions, any one of an indefinite number of other colors or shades maybe prepared. The general object of the. invention is toprovide an improved machine for obtaining such paint colors, which is of a handy, rugged construction capable of quick and easy operation in a fool-proof manner. The machine, itself, is of a compact construction so that it can be conveniently moved from a normal place of retention to a bench or table where it is to be employed, and the construction is such that it can be easily and quickly set for mixing difierent quantities of paint. These and other objects will become better appreciated as the following detailed: description is considered; in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a machine constructed in accordance with the invention with a portion of the container cut away illustrating some paint therein.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 2 and showing the operating mechanism.

Fig. 4 isv an enlarged detail View partly in, section taken substantially on line 4-4 of Fig; 3.

Fig. 5 is a view showing a locating mechanism, the View being taken substantially on line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a view partly in section taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

Fig. '7 is a. detailed view looking in the direction of the arrows l-l of Fig. 1.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, the machine comprises a base I in the form of a. housing which has an upper supporting surface or platform 2 and which may be closed by a plate 3. Rising from the housing is a supporting bracket or standard 4 which includes a guide 5. This standard, or bracket preferably rises from the housing adjacent one end as shown in Fig. 2. The platform 2 is designed to receive and support a suitable container 6, such as a paint can, in which the mix is to be made.

A vertically disposed screw I0 is journalled in the housing as at l I. It has an extension projecting into the housing as at l2, the lower end of which may be journalled in a supporting bracket l3. This screw projects upwardly from the platform and its upper end may be journalled in a supporting piece I5 carried by the bracket.

Positioned over the screw is a tubular element I! which has a threaded connection with the screw. This connection, as shown in Fig. 3, may be in the form of a nut l8 secured to the lower end of the tube and which nut has extending guide wings l9 which embrace the guide 5 to keep the tube from turning. The extensions [9 slide up and down on the guide 5.

There is an overhanging extension at the top of the tube and which projects so as to overlie part of the platform 2. The extension 20 carries a depending fixture 21, in which there is preferably located an electric lamp 22 positioned to cast its rays downwardly into the receptacle 6. The fixture 21 has a side bracket 24 in which is slidably disposed a gauge rod 25 and which may be set in position by a set screw 26. This gauge rod extends downwardly so that it may project into the receptacle 6 and it has a feeler 21 at its lower end adapted to engage the surface of the liquid in the receptacle.

The machine may be electrically wired as, for example, by means of conductors entering the base, as shown in Fig. 1, for supplying electric power to a lamp 3! positioned within the base for purposes which will presently appear. This lamp is mounted in a suitable socket and carried by a bracket 32. supported by a structural element or bracket 33. Conductors 34 extend up the post and into the extension 20 for connection to the lamp 22. The electrical circuits may be controlled by a suitable manually operated switch For operating the machine there is a suitable crank or wheel 46 fixed to a main driving shaft ll journalled in the housing and the bracket 33 as illustrated. A bevel gear 42 on the main shaft drives a pinion 43 on the screw extension. Thus, it will be seen that by turning the crank, the screw is rotated so as to cause the tube l1 and fixture 2! to move vertically. In this connection, it will be noted, by reference to Fig. 6, that the tube 17 is slotted so that the bracket 15 extends into it. The bracket 15 also serves, in conjunction with the nut l8, to hold the tubing against rotation. A suitable indicator or countin mechanism is associated with the screw or its driving mechanism to be operated thereby. This counting mechanism is illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. The base has a sight opening 45 through which an elected'indi'ca'tor or counter can be viewed. The counting mechanism is operated, as illustrated in Fig. 3, through the means of a pinion 46 on the screw shaftand a pinion 4'! on the counter-shaft 38. The counter comprises a frame or cage 58 mounted for rotational adjustment. This frame comprises two end-discs joined by suitable rods 52. The shaft 48 serves as a pilot bearing for one end of the cage. In alignment with the shaft 46 is an adjusting shaft 55provided' with a suitable knob 56. This shaft is journalled in the housing and one end is connected to an end plate of the cage in any suitable manner as, for example, by a set screw 51. Thus shaft 55 supports the other end of the cage. Mounted on the-shaft 55 is a three-sided indexing member 60, which cooperates with the fiat end piece iii of a spring 8'. for purposes which will presently appear.

The cage carries three indicating or counting mechanisms. One counter'is illustrated at A, journalled in the cage on an axis at 65 and it has a gear 66, the teeth of-which mesh with a gear 5? on the shaft 48. Another counter is shown at B mounted on an axis 68 and it has a gear 88, the teeth of which mesh with the gear 6?. The third counter is shown at C, mounted on an axis :5 and it has a gear H, the teeth of which mesh with the gear 61. As will be observed by reference to Fig.4, the threecounters are suhstantially equally spaced circumferentially in the cage. Moreover, itwill be noted that the axes of the counters are-disposed on different radii from the center of the shaft 48 so that the different size gear 66, 69 and H all properly mesh with the driving gear 6'].

It will be observed that when the crank 40 is manipulated to rotate the drive shaft 4i, that the screw IQ is rotated and all counter mechanisms are operated. As the shaft 48 rotates the gear 6'! drives each counter A, B and C. The counters, however, are coupled to the drive shaft at different gear ratios, the counter A moving and indicating faster than counter B, with the counter C functioning the-slowest; Moreover, it will be noted that by turning the knob 56 the entire cage is revolved. The cage, however, is set and held in any one of three posi-tionsby the indexing cam 80, the same being held by the sprin 62. Accordingly, any one of the three counters may be positioned uppermost, as Fig. 4 is viewed, so that it is visible at this time. The knob 56 is provided with suitable indicia, one of which is seen in Fig. 3 at 75 so that the operator may know which of the three counters is positioned to be viewed through the sight opening. In the construction shown, there are three counters in the cage and, therefore, the cage is adjustable to three positions. This number is variable because if it is desired more than three counters may be placed upon the cage, or two counters for that matter, with the cage having an index position for each counter.

The different counters are provided to accommodate different sizes of receptacles in which the paint is to be prepared. For instance, where three counters are used, the arrangement may be such that one counter takes care of a pint-sized receptacle or, in other words, one-eighth of a gallon while another counter would take care of a quartsize receptacle or, in other words, one-fourth of a gallon, and the third size may take care of onehalf gallon receptacles. The counter A may take care of the smallest receptacle, the counter B the intermediate size receptacle and the counter C the largest receptacle. In this connection, the size of the receptacle is considered from the standpoint of its height for reasons which will presently appear.

A preferred arrangement is to so calibrate the device that th mechanism will show one hundred parts of a container. Let it be assumed that the user wants to prepare one pint of a certain color. Let us take a further simple example and assume that this color is obtained by thirty parts of base color w, twenty-five parts of base color cc, forty parts of base color 3 and five parts of base color a. A pint can is placed upon the platform and the apparatus adjusted until the feeler 'Z'i rests upon the bottom of the can. The knob 55 is adjusted to bring the counter A in a position at the sight opening. The crank 40 is turned to elevate the feeler until the indicator A shows 30. The paint w is poured into the can until the surface of the paint contacts the feeler. This is visibl because of the ripples in the surface of the paint or a slight depression due to its surface tension, the visibility being aided by the lamp 22. The lamp 4! illuminates the counter at the sight opening. The handle is now turned twenty-five points on the counter so that the reading is 55 and then paint a: is poured into the receptacle until its surface contacts the feeler. The crank is now turned to elevate thefeeler forty points so that the counter A shows and paint 1/ is poured into the receptacle to bring the paint up to the feeler. Then the crank is turned to bring the indication up to and paint 2 is poured into the can until the surface contacts the feeler. The can now contains the proper combination of base colors which, when mixed, provides the desired color or shade.

It will be noted that the mechanism thus divides the pint container into 100 parts, considering the height of the receptacle. The quart container is taller than the pint container and, therefore, the counter B is geared for a slower action. The one-half gallon container is taller than the quart container and, therefore, the counter C is geared for a still slower action. In other words, counter B indicates 109 equal parts of the quart container and counter C indicates 100 equal parts of the one-half gallon container. It will be noted that when the knob 56 is manipulated to turn the cage on its axis that the counters are actuated because their respective gears operate on the stationary drive gear 61. However, as initially set up, each counter will be so adjusted that when it is at the sight opening with the tube I! adjusted to substantially its lowermost position, it will read zero. In this connection, the feeler rod 25 may be vertically adjusted at its mounting 24.

I claim:

1. A device for th proportional mixing of paint, lacquer or the like comprising, a hollow base constituting a housing and providing a platform surface for the reception of a container, a screw projecting upwardly from the platform surface, adjustable ineans'having threaded engagement with the screw, a gauging element carried by the adjustable means and adapted to project downwardly into the container on the base and to contact the surface of paint in the container, mechanism within the base for operating the screw to raise and lower said adjustable means and thereby the gauging element, said base having a sight opening therein and a plurality of counters within the base operable by said mechanism and geared to the mechanism at different ratios for indicating movement of the gauging element in equal increments for containers of different heights,

2. A device for the proportional mixing of paint, lacquer or the like comprising, a vertically adjustable element for contacting the surface of paint in a container, mechanism for vertically adjusting said element, counting means including a carrier, a plurality of counters on the carrier, the counters being operatively connected to the mechanism at different ratios so that each will indicate movement of the gauging element in equal increments of containers of different heights, means for providing a single sight opening and means for adjustably setting the carriage to position an elected counter at the sight opening.

3. A device for the proportional mixing of paint, lacquer or the like in containers of different heights comprising, an adjustable gauging element adapted to project downwardly into a container to contact the surface of paint in the container, mechanism for vertically moving the gauging element, indicating means comprising a carrier, a plurality of counters on the carrier, means operably connecting the counters to said mechanism at different driving ratios, each counter being adapted to indicate movements of said element in equal increments of a container of a predetermined height, means providing a single sight opening and means for relatively adjusting the carrier and sight opening to bring one of the counters into position to be viewed through the sight opening.

4. A device for the proportional mixing of paint, lacquer or the like in containers of different heights comprising, an adjustable gauging element adapted to project downwardly into a container to contact the surface of paint in the container, mechanism for vertically moving the gauging element, indicating means comprising a carrier, a plurality of counters on the carrier,

means operably connecting the counters to said mechanism at different driving ratios, each counter being adapted to indicate movements of said element in equal increments of a container of a predetermined height, means providing a single sight opening and means for adjusting the carrier to position an elected counter in position to be viewed through the sight opening.

5. A device for the proportional mixing of paint, lacquer or the like in containers of different heights comprising, an adjustable gauging element adapted to project downwardly into a container to contact the surface of paint in the container, mechanism for vertically moving the gauging element, indicating means, a drive shaft therefor operably connected to the mechanism, said indicating means comprising a carriage, a plurality of counters on the carriage positioned eccentrically about the drive shaft, means operably connecting the counters to the drive shaft at different driving ratios, whereby the counters indicate movement of the gauging element in equal increments for containers of different heights, means providing a single sight opening and means for adjustably positioning the carriage to locate a counter at the sight opening to be viewed therethrough and which counter corresponds to the height of the container employed.

6. A device for the proportional mixing of paint, lacquer or the like comprising, a gauging element adapted to project downwardly into a container to contact the surface ofpaint in the container, mechanism for adjusting the gauging element vertically relative to the container, counting means for indicating movement of the gauging element throughout a range of vertical movement in different sized increments whereby containers of different heights may be employed, said counting means comprising a, carriage, a plurality of counters on the carriage, common driving means for the counters operably connected to said mechanism, means connecting the common driving means to the counters at different driving ratios, means providing a sight opening and means for adjusting the carriage to position a counter at the sight opening to be viewed therethrough which corresponds to the height of the container employed.

JOSEPH S. MALTESE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 187,421 Schwartz Feb. 13, 1877 251,415 Greselius Dec. 27, 1881 1,195,862 Smithey Aug. 22, 1916 1,727,436 Kreutzkamp Sept. 10, 1929 2,237,443 Marienthal Apr. 8, 1941 

